Working on this new server in php7...
imc indymedia

Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

white themeblack themered themetheme help
About Us Contact Us Calendar Publish RSS
Features
latest news
best of news
syndication
commentary


KILLRADIO

VozMob

ABCF LA

A-Infos Radio

Indymedia On Air

Dope-X-Resistance-LA List

LAAMN List




IMC Network:

Original Cities

www.indymedia.org africa: ambazonia canarias estrecho / madiaq kenya nigeria south africa canada: hamilton london, ontario maritimes montreal ontario ottawa quebec thunder bay vancouver victoria windsor winnipeg east asia: burma jakarta japan korea manila qc europe: abruzzo alacant andorra antwerpen armenia athens austria barcelona belarus belgium belgrade bristol brussels bulgaria calabria croatia cyprus emilia-romagna estrecho / madiaq euskal herria galiza germany grenoble hungary ireland istanbul italy la plana liege liguria lille linksunten lombardia london madrid malta marseille nantes napoli netherlands nice northern england norway oost-vlaanderen paris/Île-de-france patras piemonte poland portugal roma romania russia saint-petersburg scotland sverige switzerland thessaloniki torun toscana toulouse ukraine united kingdom valencia latin america: argentina bolivia chiapas chile chile sur cmi brasil colombia ecuador mexico peru puerto rico qollasuyu rosario santiago tijuana uruguay valparaiso venezuela venezuela oceania: adelaide aotearoa brisbane burma darwin jakarta manila melbourne perth qc sydney south asia: india mumbai united states: arizona arkansas asheville atlanta austin baltimore big muddy binghamton boston buffalo charlottesville chicago cleveland colorado columbus dc hawaii houston hudson mohawk kansas city la madison maine miami michigan milwaukee minneapolis/st. paul new hampshire new jersey new mexico new orleans north carolina north texas nyc oklahoma philadelphia pittsburgh portland richmond rochester rogue valley saint louis san diego san francisco san francisco bay area santa barbara santa cruz, ca sarasota seattle tampa bay tennessee urbana-champaign vermont western mass worcester west asia: armenia beirut israel palestine process: fbi/legal updates mailing lists process & imc docs tech volunteer projects: print radio satellite tv video regions: oceania united states topics: biotech

Surviving Cities

www.indymedia.org africa: canada: quebec east asia: japan europe: athens barcelona belgium bristol brussels cyprus germany grenoble ireland istanbul lille linksunten nantes netherlands norway portugal united kingdom latin america: argentina cmi brasil rosario oceania: aotearoa united states: austin big muddy binghamton boston chicago columbus la michigan nyc portland rochester saint louis san diego san francisco bay area santa cruz, ca tennessee urbana-champaign worcester west asia: palestine process: fbi/legal updates process & imc docs projects: radio satellite tv
printable version - js reader version - view hidden posts - tags and related articles


View article without comments

South Gate: Where City Hall's a Mix of Soap Opera and Bad Joke

by TIMES STAFF WRITER Tuesday, Sep. 10, 2002 at 11:19 AM

Government: Officials are looking into suspected corruption. Council-watchers enjoy 'the meow lady.'

When Latinos took control of South Gate City Hall in 1994, Latinos inside and outside the city celebrated it as a sign that local governments were starting to mirror their communities.

But ethnic pride has turned to disappointment. For many, experiencing South Gate these days is like entering a dark side of Latino politics.

In the past two years, members of the City Council have tripled their salaries, awarded contracts to a long list of cronies and authorized new staff members with resumes that read like rap sheets.

The city's trial specialist, Cristeta Paguirigan, is a disbarred attorney caught embezzling thousands from clients. Raul Pardo, convicted in 1995 for punching out a newspaper photographer, heads the new community outreach department.

Treasurer Albert Robles is awaiting trial for allegedly making death threats against two state legislators. Acting Police Chief Rick Lopez's first hire was a cop once fired for tipping off suspects of a federal drug investigation.

South Gate's plight is more than a story about civic leaders eroding the public trust. The city in southeast Los Angeles County is one of the state's largest Latino-controlled communities and has become a bellwether of local Latino politics.

Concerned Latino leaders inside and outside the city responded by backing unusual reform legislation and supporting an extraordinary anti-corruption effort by local and federal authorities.

More than 150 district attorney's investigators raided leaders' homes and offices in May. The FBI has subpoenaed City Hall. And Secretary of State Bill Jones says that, compared with South Gate, elections are more lawful in Nicaragua.

But though the scrutiny might prompt other cities to clean house--or at least put an official on leave--in South Gate, leaders continue fast-tracking controversial measures and sweetening the contracts of those under investigation.

Robles, for example, was promoted to the $111,000-per-year post of deputy city manager after his arrest.

Although numerous cities have transitioned to all-Latino city councils in recent years, "South Gate has become symbolic in terms of what Latino power can be, unfortunately," said Fernando Guerra, director of Loyola Marymount University's Center for the Study of Los Angeles.

But Guerra and others say the city distorts the picture statewide. "In reality," he said, "19 other cities [in Los Angeles County] have Latino majorities, and they have become stable.... South Gate is not representative of Latino politics."

So how did South Gate degenerate to this point? Some call it the growing pains of a city in transition. To others, it's a modern twist on Tammany Hall-style politics.

Whatever the case, South Gate's civic divide is as wide and impenetrable as the truck-clogged Long Beach Freeway that slices through this working-class city.

"We have a dictatorship here," said Alan Treen, a 40-year resident. "If the state of California, or some responsible agency, would take over, it would be a huge improvement.... It would be a pretty radical move, but clearly due process has been suspended here."

To city leaders, however, the forces scrutinizing their actions represent an egregious case of outsider interference.

"This is a political persecution that brings to mind the Gestapo," said Mayor Xochilt Ruvalcaba of the raid in May.

South Gate, a onetime union town turned immigrant gateway, is in many ways a model community, a Latino version of idealized suburbia, with mid-century houses lovingly tended by families who have lived there for generations.

Unlike neighboring Watts and Lynwood, crime has never swamped this city of 96,000 residents. The parks and streets are clean.

But the political landscape is messier.

"This is the Twilight Zone of politics," says Joe Ruiz, a businessman and activist whose fleet of plumbing vans was firebombed last year in what authorities suspect was a political attack.

"People don't believe what goes on here--you have to tell them step by step, and they're still like, 'No, no, it couldn't be.' "

It is.

The city launched into another political dimension in December 2000, when voters elected a shy hairdresser named Maria Benavides to the council.

Benavides' oath at the swearing-in ceremony was the last time she addressed the public. But her votes--cast in a quiet, cat-like voice that earned her the nickname "the meow lady"--shook the city.

Along with Ruvalcaba and Vice Mayor Raul Moriel, she formed a bloc aligned with Robles, the city's elected treasurer and perceived political boss.

Ruvalcaba, Benavides, who is her cousin, and Moriel voted to boost their salaries and stripped the elected clerk of most of her duties. They also awarded contracts to former Robles associates.

Those and other moves have met with strong opposition from Latino councilmen Hector De La Torre and Henry Gonzalez. Both have helped lead a groundswell of opposition forces that include recent Latino immigrants, off-duty cops and white senior citizens.

Their complaints of corruption were heard far outside the city. The district attorney's office pounced first, gaining convictions in the past year against three Robles political allies on electoral fraud charges. The office continues to investigate the alleged misuse of public funds.

Then, in April, Robles was arrested outside his townhouse and charged with threatening to kill two state lawmakers and a South Gate police lieutenant.

Overnight, Robles' photographed image--head bowed, hands cuffed--appeared on fliers and T-shirts across town. "One down, three to go," read one, referring to Robles' council allies, called "los tres stooges" by critics.

But one month later, Robles , already city treasurer, was named deputy city manager. Now, even if convicted, he stands to collect $180,000 in severance pay.

Robles, an intelligent and volatile politician, says he is a modernizer who supports long-needed changes to the city's infrastructure.

But critics suspect Robles is intent on enriching himself at public expense and destroying the city's two police unions. Robles denies the accusations.

Whatever his motives, Robles' tenure has been tumultuous. A brief sampling:

* In May, a waste hauling firm executive said Robles demanded that his firm contribute $20,000 for a political campaign. After the official refused, Robles allegedly said, "You're out of town."

The firm subsequently lost its contract renewal. Robles denies the accusation.

* Paguirigan, the city's trial specialist, is a convicted forger as well as embezzler. When leaders learned of her background, Ruvalcaba called the forgery an "innocent mistake," and she and her allies voted to give Paguirigan's firm more work.

* In February, the council majority awarded a former Robles business associate a lease on a 15-acre parcel of city-owned land for far below market value. The deal allows the businessman to lease the land to others for as long as 55 years.

South Gate is now a city paralyzed by civic mistrust. Public meetings have become boisterous bouts of civil disobedience, creating a pattern of one-upmanship that has bordered on the bizarre.

When the council majority banned clapping and booing, residents clapped and booed louder. When residents mocked Benavides' soft voice by meowing, the council banned that too.

The city has hired an intern to film some heated meetings. But he doesn't record the council. He trains the camera on the audience.

Residents responded by videotaping the council. Sometimes, half a dozen people wielding cameras line the aisles.

The seesaw battle reached a strange milestone this spring when workers installed a thick set of double doors in a City Hall hallway. Ruvalcaba said the doors were for security, saying she had been assaulted by two elderly ladies wielding a stack of papers.

For critics, the doors are a metaphor. "They want to isolate themselves," Gonzalez said. "I don't think they like to face their accusers. What are they fearful of?"

If anyone has reason to be careful, it is Gonzalez. In 1999, the councilman was shot in the head outside his home after a bitter campaign. He suffered minor injuries; the crime is unsolved.

Also unsolved is the firebombing of the plumbing vans of Ruiz, a supporter of a voter recall drive against Robles and his council allies. The effort stalled after Ruvalcaba, Moriel and Benavides replaced the city clerk.

When Jones, citing alleged electoral fraud and voter intimidation, ordered leaders to cede electoral control to the county, they refused.

"This type of activity is not something you would expect in Los Angeles County in the 21st century," Jones said.

The South Gate saga reached the state Capitol this summer when legislators unanimously approved unusual legislation forcing the city to hand over control of its special elections. Gov. Gray Davis signed the bill last month.

The legislation was spearheaded by Jones and three Latino lawmakers: Sens. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) and Martha Escutia (D-Whittier) and Assemblyman Marco A. Firebaugh (D-Los Angeles).

Political observers say Latino power brokers have taken high-profile roles in part to reverse the city's course, but also to ease concerns that South Gate represents the future of Latino politics.

"It's smart politics," said Jaime A. Regalado, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State Los Angeles. "Latino leaders are distancing themselves from the powers that be in South Gate, and are trying to put in good government reform measures."

But even with such outside pressure, the investigations and increased media attention--one local newspaper ran an editorial headlined, "Throw the bums out"--some critics hold little hope of stopping the council majority's lock-step march.

And attention inevitably shifts to Benavides, the beautician turned councilwoman and swing vote on the council.

Supporters say the quiet 29-year-old mother of two has been silenced by intimidation. Her critics call Benavides a puppet who parrots Moriel and Ruvalcaba.

Benavides has indeed seemed confused at times when she doesn't follow her allies in roll call votes. Once, when asked to vote first on a redevelopment issue, she froze.

"I'm not sure yet, hold on," she said, sparking howls of laughter from the crowd. After Benavides heard her allies vote, she voted "yes."

At another meeting, Ruvalcaba made sure her cousin wouldn't be confused with her vote.

"Maria," said the mayor. "Nay."

"Nay," echoed Benavides.

Such behavior leaves residents shaking their heads.

"This would make one hell of a movie," said Sherman Miner, a 40-year resident, on the steps of City Hall one night.

"Nah," replied Ted Chandler, a former Chamber of Commerce president. "No one would believe it."

"Yeah," said Miner. "You're probably right."
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


What the hell?!?!

by FA Tuesday, Sep. 10, 2002 at 11:42 AM

What the hell's going on? Fucking beaners need to take their asses back to mejico. Why would they "escape" corruption, only to come here and pull the same shit? Fuck these "people"! Maybe the mascot protesters, who seem to hate all things "government" will go protest these scumbags. Oh, wait! They're mexicans, too, so I guess corruption amongst your own kind can be overlooked, eh(wink-wink), amigos?
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Speaking of corruption, CACAzoid!!!

by huitzilopochtli Tuesday, Sep. 10, 2002 at 6:46 PM

You mean "fucking CACAsians" need to take their pasty asses
back to Europe. You want to talk about corruption, Senor Inbreeder,
look at your own fucking president who wasn't even elected, but
put into office through a severely tainted electoral process (blacks
disenfranchised, secretary of state tag-teamed by the Bush brothers,
Scalia's mafia/republican ass given the power to decide who is
president) and who now is spreading the disease of corruption
throughout our nation ( Bush's past dealings with the bin Ladens,
his daddy's past as an athletic supporter for Hussein and the Taliban,
his granddaddy doing business with the nazis in the 1940s, etc.) So
if you want to talk about corruption, look at your own goddamn country,
cracker man! The LA Times article is biased and doesn't mention
how all of this corruption in South Gate came as a result of the Latino
city council successfully challenging and denying the proposed building of
a power plant in their city, but then what do you expect from the LA Crimes,
not exactly a bastion of objective journalism.

If you don't like it, take your pasty, inbreeding, genocidal, cracker ass back
to the Caucus Mountains from whence your disease came and pray that
the Afghanis who live there don't take you out like a Soviet. Good day.
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Ahahahahaha!!!!!

by FA Tuesday, Sep. 10, 2002 at 7:23 PM

Your name is "huitzilopochtli"?!? Hahahahahahahaha!! That's hilarious! I swear, that's the stupidest name I've ever heard of! I love it! Is that like some sort of ancient jalapeno pepper?
Anyway, here's the deal, wetback, you live in a Western country, built upon Western foundations. You've never accomplished anything in your goddamned life, and if you don't like it, you can hat-dance your ass across the border to the big toilet of the south, mejeeco.
It's just nice to see your hatred towards Whites finally show itself. I also like the way you defend corruption (at the expense of your own people, I might add) because the trash commiting the crimes are as brown as shit, just like you, and your whole donkey show-performing familia.

Beaners noches, amigo!!
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Emperor

by Hirohito Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003 at 1:53 AM
ruler@beruled.com

Oh sure. Blame the whites, Hispanics, whatever. But remember that this is not about skin color, it's about POWER, man, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. These newly elected council members, with dreams of lording over their own little fiefdom, forgot who they're supposed to serve. And now they're going to pay the price.

Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


What an idiot!

by US Citizen Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003 at 8:22 PM

FA,

You are an absolute stupid idiot! You think that corruption only happens among minority groups... think again! All politicians are motivated by power and money! Why do you think so much legislation has passed on limiting campaign contributions. Hum...ENRON...remember that! Open you eyes and take a look! Corruption exists in the good old democratic USA! All you are is a racist and ignorant moron. Shame that this country has too many of
you..that is why the rest of the world hates us.
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Emporer

by Hirohito Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 at 12:06 PM
ruler@beruled.com

Remember Compton? Mayor Omar Bradley reigned over a political machine that stomped opponents with violence and threats and ran corrupt elections. South Gate's Albert Robles did the same thing. In both cases, the corrupt politicians were tossed from office by black and brown voters. So maybe they aren't so gullible or stupid after all ...
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Emporer

by Hirohito Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 at 12:09 PM
ruler@beruled.com

Remember Compton? Mayor Omar Bradley reigned over a political machine that stomped opponents with violence and threats and ran corrupt elections. South Gate's Albert Robles did the same thing. In both cases, the corrupt politicians were tossed from office by black and brown voters. So maybe they aren't so gullible or stupid after all ...
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Xochilt your ass is going to Jail

by SGchivo Wednesday, Feb. 05, 2003 at 10:50 AM

Yeah for Xochilt, the dumb broad X-Mayor,
RE: THE 2/3/03 City Council Mtg.

the dumb bitch thinks she can get away with punching another council member in the face, knowing that a dozen camaras caught it on film??? HAHA HA or " Na NaNa NA na na"

Henry Gonzalez never touched her saggy boobs bitch, he tried to snatch Mr. Dewitt's (resident) request to speak form from her hands when she struck in the face.

That dumb broad along with her cousins Benavides and Moriel and Robles and all of their CRONIES need to wake up and realize that the IRS will run an audit on the city's budget and will find out about the stolen money. Your no "AL Capone" Robles
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


The IRS is gonna do a budget audit

by SGchivo Thursday, Feb. 06, 2003 at 8:58 AM

THE IRS IS GOING TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT ON THE CITY'S BUDGET FOR 2002-2003 FISCAL YEAR. WHEN THE STOLEN MONEYS ARE CONFIRMED THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WILL BE IN JAIL FACING CONVICTED FOR NUMEROUS FRAUD FELONIES:
ALBERT ROBLES, XOCHILT RUVALCABA, RAUL MORIEL AND MARIA BENAVIDES.
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


The IRS is gonna do a budget audit

by SGchivo Thursday, Feb. 06, 2003 at 8:58 AM

THE IRS IS GOING TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT ON THE CITY'S BUDGET FOR 2002-2003 FISCAL YEAR. WHEN THE STOLEN MONEYS ARE CONFIRMED THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WILL BE IN JAIL FACING CONVICTED FOR NUMEROUS FRAUD FELONIES:
ALBERT ROBLES, XOCHILT RUVALCABA, RAUL MORIEL AND MARIA BENAVIDES.
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


bitch

by cd Tuesday, Apr. 01, 2003 at 12:42 AM

xochitl you stupid fat pig. learn how to speak.
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Elizabeth Ave

by B. Santos Tuesday, Apr. 22, 2003 at 3:35 PM

Ruvacalba and Robles needed to be recalled but the new officials we have now aren't any better.
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Fuck Gonzalez, Robles, Tait, Ramirez, mendez, and the rest of them sluts

by your dad Tuesday, Apr. 22, 2003 at 3:42 PM

fuck gonzalez and his ugly ass fuck xochilt to ......in the ass
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Funy shit

by Neva Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2003 at 9:32 AM

YEAH YOUR SO RIGHT, SHE SHOULD GET IT IN THE ASS....SOUNDS PRETTY PAINFUL
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


South Gate "City of Mystery"

by Big Bad Daddy Monday, Jun. 23, 2003 at 8:33 PM

Cmon man, we live in a society, damit!!!!!!
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


stupid beaners

by beaner hater Thursday, Aug. 07, 2003 at 9:57 AM
beanerhater@aol.com 2222222 beaner st

fucken beaners are soo ignorant. They're coming in here and taking over everything and turning it into mexico, turning the goverment into corrupt ass mexico. dum ass beaners!
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


Kauffman Ave

by NBrito Friday, Sep. 19, 2003 at 8:09 AM
nlbrito@comcast.net 3233973500

I was a South Gate Resident all my life. I can honestly say that what we have here is a mirror of the unfortunate state of Latin American politics. You can not name one Latin American Government that is not currupt to the core. Thats why we Latinos are here in the U.S. to begin with. We must admit, these guys imported the same crap here. Thank god for checks and balances. Hope they rot in jail for giving us a bad name.
Report this post as:
Share on: Twitter, Facebook, Google+

add your comments


© 2000-2018 Los Angeles Independent Media Center. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by the Los Angeles Independent Media Center. Running sf-active v0.9.4 Disclaimer | Privacy